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Just got the RWD drivetrain setup and it is AWESOME. It's not hard to break the rear loose on gravel and w/ the use of 4WD Lo, I can have whatever gearing I need. I kind of want to weld the rear diff., but I don't want to put too much strain on my drivetrain. Those of you w/ welded RWDs, how is it for normal daily driving?

The next thing I plan to do is come up w/ some sort of stop for the 4WD lever so that I don't need to worry about dropping into 2WD in a corner or anything like that. (Any ideas? I want something that can be deactivated so that I can park in 2WD.)
Then it's on to engine tuning and a new radiator.

My old Brat ALWAYS wanted to get sideways when I had it in RWD mode. I broke one front CV and re-installed the outer cup. Low Range was fun, but not as much fun as RWD High on a wet freeway on-ramp

-Brian

Well said. It's been raining intermitently today, and is looking rainy right now - forecast: Wet Roads including dirt and pavement.

It seems that my car drives better in rear wheel drive than it had in front. Possibly because the front cv's were worn from years of use and the rears are much less worn and abused.

I really like it and love the way it drives on dirt roads. I would like to have both wheels spinning at all times, so maybe a welded rear diff. would complete the whole drivetrain setup. Aside from wearing tires faster and more of a propensity to drive sideways should I expect from a welded rear diff?

DO NOT weld the rear diff!! A welded differential absolutely cannot be used on dry, hard pavement, even if it's disconnected from the transmission. Even the rear wheels need to spin at different directions when going around corners. Welding the rear diff will result in horrible stresses to the rear axles and diff as well as tons of wheelhop while cornering. This will also make the vehicle very hard to control.

If you weld the rear diff, you'll need to ONLY drive the car in FWD on pavement, and remove one rear axle EVERY TIME you exit the trail. Driving a welded diff on pavement is not an option, period.

if you weld the rear diff, you can have one-wheel drive....no fornt axles, and missing one in back. but dont weld the rear diff please, a little dangerous, besides, didnt you make it RWD to get rid of understeer?

I'd recommend a LSD and avoid a welded rear end. Not from a parts stress issue, which I don't consider to be too high, but from a drivability standpoint. I've welded the rear end in a ford pickup, and that truck is nutless, but it will get sideways on pavement if you lay into it at the start of a turn. The brat ia much liter in the back that a fullsize pickup, so it will probably be sideways everywhere. unless you want to put the rear end in the opposite lane every time you pull out of McD's, I wouldn't weld it.

I'd recommend a LSD and avoid a welded rear end. Not from a parts stress issue, which I don't consider to be too high, but from a drivability standpoint. I've welded the rear end in a ford pickup, and that truck is nutless, but it will get sideways on pavement if you lay into it at the start of a turn. The brat ia much liter in the back that a fullsize pickup, so it will probably be sideways everywhere. unless you want to put the rear end in the opposite lane every time you pull out of McD's, I wouldn't weld it.

well the LSD is the best option but hay rear ends are cheep and easy to come by i say weld one and try it out see if you like it. if not then run the open.

ive been running my 79 wagon with a welded rear in it on pavment for about 3 mounths now shure there is wheel hop, tire ware(whick you will have the way your driving it anyway) but i dont find it that bad i guess we will see this sunday at the auto x,,,,,

I was thinking that I could try it on a diff. and have a second one to swap out if/when I want. I'm trying not to put much $ into this car right now, so an LSD is a distant option. I guess I'll have to see how your wagon drives on the pavement to help me decide what I want.

By the way, Brian, can you get me the necessary info (time, place, etc.) for the autox on sunday? I really want to do some rallyx style driving w/ the Brat - I think it could perform pretty well.

i drive to the offroad spot in rwd. stick in my front axle then go wheelin.

rwd is the coolest for the street. to full throttle mine in fwd is pretty stupid. it gets to hoppin and jumpin, and i dont go anywhere. rwd it just takes off, or spins one, but its thoroughly entertaining.

Why?It really drives much better. I can floor it through a turn w/out spinning the steering wheels plus w/ the Lo range, my underpowered subaru is able to spin wheels much more easilly. And it is more fun and well worth removing the dying axle that was still hanging on.I have an offroad subaru so I don't need 4WD in this one. (I know that I'll get stuck in a ditch sometime and wish I had 4WD, but oh well.)

Andrew - I'll let you know the down low as soon as I have it. You gonna race the lifted rig? (By the way, I met Wayne(sp?) today and saw his 3" Hatch - we need to take all three rigs out sometime!)

I would not ness reccomend an LSD for street driving. While both wheel going can be cool, you can some wheel hop from it when cornering hard. It can't possibly good for it to take that kind of stress for long.

Tin Soldier.. The street is exactly where an LSD is warranted. The limited slip allows both wheels to turn at different rates (when going around corners) but the clutches will lock when given gas, thus locking the wheels together

I also would see no problem running a welded diff on the street. You just have to be careful and have your wits about you. Also, if you are like me you won't break anything, but if you are like most people it seems you will.

Tin Soldier.. The street is exactly where an LSD is warranted. The limited slip allows both wheels to turn at different rates (when going around corners) but the clutches will lock when given gas, thus locking the wheels together

I also would see no problem running a welded diff on the street. You just have to be careful and have your wits about you. Also, if you are like me you won't break anything, but if you are like most people it seems you will.

Precicely. A welded diff is too upredictable on the street. You really never know when the rears are gonna let go. The LSD gives you better traction, compared to an open, without the driveline bind you do with a welded diff or a spool. It won't go as far as a welded diff will, BUT it will make your driveline liast alot longer. I've got an LSD in mine and I can't tell it's back there till I need the traction, then it's there. My brother's Suby is running in RWD and he's got an open diff. He usually spins just one tire. Now, when we took a trip to Tucson, he was buzzin about 85-90ish around a corner on the freeway and he saw the tach start to jump around cause he was on the edge of traction. If I was driving his car, I prolly would've felt the rear begin to come loose. It wasn't to the point of loosing it, but we were getting there. Needless to say, he backed off the throttle at that point and stayed around 80ish. Need to put 2wd or RX struts and bigger sway bar on the front and put a sway bar in the rear on that Suby. I think that'll improve it's handling by quite a bit. Ok, I'm done rambling.